CHAPTER II. 



THE COLLECTION, MOUNTING, EXAMINATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF 

 ANOPHELES MOSQUITOES AND THEIR LARVAE. 



recording observations on the habits and life-history 

 of " anopheles " there has been, until recently, a 

 tendency to apply the facts deduced from observa- 

 tions of one species only, to the whole sub-family, 

 without taking into account the fact that different 

 species may vary greatly in their habits and life-history. At the 

 present time, however, it is extremely important to study each 

 species of " anopheles " separately, and it is desirable, therefore, to 

 give briefly some methods that have been found successful for the 

 collection of the adults and larvae, in order that those who are 

 interested in the subject may find and separate the various species 

 present in their districts before commencing a study of their habits 

 and life-history. 



The collection of adult Anopheles. The collection of the so- 

 called "domestic" species that is, those species which are never 

 found far from the neighbourhood of human habitations is, as a 

 rule, an easy matter in India provided search for them is made in 

 the right places. The majority of the known species rest during 

 the day-time in houses, stables, and sheds, and in such haunts 

 they may be easily captured by gently placing the open mouth 

 of a test-tube over them as they rest on the walls or roof. A 

 slight movement of the tube while it is kept pressed against 

 the wall or roof will rouse the mosquito and make it fly towards the 

 closed end of the tube, the mouth of which can then be closed by 

 insinuating a cotton-wool plug between it and the wall or roof. 

 Mosquitoes caught in this manner can either be kept in the test- 

 tubes, or if a large number are required, as for the purpose of 

 dissection, it is preferable to transfer them from the test-tubes into 

 a large bottle with a narrow neck (such as an empty white glass 



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